Pakistan launches major tech training drive for 500,000 youth

Islamabad: Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima has announced that Google, Huawei, and Microsoft will provide IT training to 500,000 Pakistanis, and specific locations are being identified for free public Wi-Fi access.

Speaking to the media, she said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the development of Islamabad as a pilot smart city. The ministry has already allocated funds to provide fiber connectivity to all public schools, BHUs (Basic Health Units), and health sectors in Islamabad. Within the next six to eight months, hospitals, schools, and police stations will be connected via fiber optics. Specific areas are being identified for free public Wi-Fi, and work is underway through public-private partnerships to provide Wi-Fi on metro buses and at public places.

She further said that the Ministry of Education is fully cooperating, and that educational access in remote areas will be provided through EdTech solutions. AI and emerging technologies will be introduced in the curriculum starting from Grade 6 down to Kindergarten. The Prime Minister aims to ensure that every child in Islamabad has access to education, and this initiative will be extended to Gilgit-Baltistan and other remote regions. The goal is to enable education in remote schools through technology.

The Federal IT Minister also stated that, in collaboration with the Health Minister, work is underway on a “One Patient, One ID” system. Through telemedicine, internet connectivity will be provided to all BHUs, enabling online consultations with medical specialists across the country. The Prime Minister has also established a committee to include IT education in the national curriculum.

Shaza Fatima said the goal is to train 500,000 youth in modern IT skills: Google will train 200,000, Huawei 300,000, and Microsoft 200,000 individuals. Children will begin learning AI from the primary level, and comprehensive measures are being taken to prepare Pakistan’s IT workforce to meet global standards.